


Moonlight Memories

by pikablob



Category: Swan Princess (1994)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kind-of a Canon Rewrite?, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Nightmares, The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:27:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23933782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pikablob/pseuds/pikablob
Summary: When her daughter is kept awake by memories of the past, Odette shares some of her own to help ground her again.
Relationships: Alise & Odette (Swan Princess)
Kudos: 10





	Moonlight Memories

**Author's Note:**

> This is set around when _We Want To Hear From You_ happens in canon - I wanted to do a scene that more deeply explores Alise's trauma and the shared ground between her and Odette, without either of them instantly healing.
> 
> Recommended Song: [Burning House](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzB3JB-0zk4)

It was well past midnight. The castle bedroom was dark, with only the faintest sliver of moonlight slipping through the gap in the curtains. Derek was flat out, snoring softly, but despite the comfort of the bed and his presence Odette couldn’t sleep.

Worry gnawed at her gut, refusing to let her rest. Despite her best efforts her thoughts kept circling back to the same thing; the girl sleeping in the room down the corridor. How could she not be worried? Alise had been through so much in such a short time, things no child should ever have to go through, and she still wasn’t talking.

Odette desperately wanted to help, but there was little she could do beyond offer comfort whenever Alise came to her for it. Derek tried his best to help too, but emotional issues had never been his strong suit. Uberta and Rogers were even worse, overwhelming the poor girl with misguided attempts to cheer her up with presents; they seemed to care more about one-upping each other than actually helping.

That day had been no exception. The pair had gotten into an argument at dinner over who got to teach Alise sign language, and in the midst of it she had slipped away; Odette had found her ten minutes later, hiding behind a curtain in the Great Hall, shaking like a leaf.

The incident had spiked Odette’s concern yet again. She had done her best to ignore it for the rest of the evening, trying to give Alise some space, but now she was alone with her thoughts it was boiling over. With a quiet sigh she realised the only way she was going to be able to rest tonight was if she let herself check on the girl.

So, as gently as she could, she slipped out of the bed. Derek murmured in his sleep, weakly reaching across her side of the bed with an arm, but he didn’t wake. She picked up the candle holder off her nightstand and crept to the door, glad for the thick carpet under her feet. The door creaked as she opened it, and he stirred again, but still he remained asleep. She pressed on, shutting the door behind her.

Once in the main hall she lit the candle in the holder. It cast a warm flickering light, sending long shadows reaching up the walls. She started walking, heading away from her room as quickly and quietly as she could.

Alise’s room was two doors down, on the other side of Uberta’s chamber. Carefully Odette approached, listening for any sounds inside, but she couldn’t make anything out through the heavy oak. She slowly pushed it open just a crack, wincing when the hinges let out a quiet creak, and peered into the darkness beyond.

For a moment, the whole room was a black void, before her eyes adjusted again to the darkness. Immediately she looked over at the bed and felt her blood turn to ice.

Alise was sitting up in bed, the sheets crumpled and shoved away. She had wrapped both arms tightly around herself, hands clutching at opposite elbows, and her tiny body visibly shivered. Now that she was listening, Odette was sure she could hear quiet sniffling emanating from the girl, and she felt her heart break. The poor thing must have had a nightmare.

She didn’t waste a moment longer. She pushed the door open, stepping into the doorway as warm light flooded the room. Alise jumped, eyes going wide with sudden panic; the light glistened off tear-tracks running down her cheeks.

“Alise?” The girl didn’t react. She just sat there, frozen in fear, chest rising and falling with panicked breath. Odette took a step forwards, and she flinched. “What’s wrong?”

Alise silently glanced up at her, then down at the candle holder in her hand. Suddenly Odette understood; she watched as the girl’s gaze traced out an imaginary spread of fire, from the wick to the drapes to the ceiling, slowly closing in. Quickly, the princess blew out the flame.

In the sudden darkness she heard Alise’s breathing slow, and as her eyes adjusted she could see the girl’s grip on her arms loosen and her shoulders relax. But she was still shivering, tears leaking from her eyes and her lip quivering. Her gaze seemed almost pleading for Odette’s comfort.

She set the candle holder down and hurried over, sitting down on the edge of the bed the bed. Instantly Alise reached out, gripping her nightgown and pulling herself into the princess’ embrace. Odette gently wrapped her arms around the girl’s shuddering form, and she just broke.

Sobs wracked her tiny frame. She gripped so tightly her knuckles turned white and her hands shook, as if afraid Odette could somehow slip through her grasp. Odette cradled her, running one hand carefully though her hair as her cries slowly grew quiet.

She could feel the sting of tears in her own eyes; she knew how much it hurt to have a parent ripped away from you, and the thought of Alise going through that made her stomach turn again.

“Shhhh,” the princess soothed, “I know, Alise, I know.” She couldn’t help thinking back to the last time she had seen her own father: him lying there in the mud, blood seeping through his robes, and her held tightly in Rothbart’s claws, being dragged away.

She had been strong then; she had to be, between Rothbart’s scheme and the spell he had put on her. She had never really given herself time to mourn, even after his defeat. But that didn’t mean it hadn’t cut deep, losing the only family she had ever known. She knew exactly how Alise felt, and deep down a part of her wondered if she cared so much because she saw herself reflected in the child in her arms.

Alise shifted, her grip finally loosening. She looked up at Odette, noticing the shift in her demeanour; something curious glistened in her watery eyes.

“I’m okay,” Odette reassured, forcing a smile. Alise seemed to relax, slumping against her side, but the curiosity in her gaze didn’t subside. Her mouth opened just a little, as if she wanted to say something, before quickly shutting again. “Will you be alright?”

Alise paused, before slowly glancing around the room. Finally, she looked back up at Odette, guilt creeping into her expression, and shook her head. She was still too afraid, too unsettled by whatever she had seen in her sleep.

“It’s okay.” Odette gently tightened her embrace, hoping to offer further comfort. She tried to think what more she could do. Suddenly, an idea came to her. “How about I tell you a story?” she asked. “Would that help?” Alise nodded slowly, snuggling up to the princess.

“Once,” Odette began, “There was a beautiful princess and a handsome prince. They were madly in love, and engaged to be married, but a dark sorcerer wanted the princess’ kingdom for himself.” She looked down; Alise was listening intently, enraptured by the tale.

“One day, when the princess was travelling with her father, the sorcerer attacked.” Odette tried to hide the lump forming in her throat. “He used the Forbidden Arts to transform into a Great Animal and struck as the carriage passed through the forest. He mortally wounded the king, and the princess could only watch as she was carried away in his great talons.” Alise let out a soft gasp, suddenly clutching tightly to Odette again.

“When the prince heard, he rushed to save her,” she said quickly. “But he could find no trace of her or the Great Animal. Suddenly he saw a white swan flying through the forest; he followed it, trying to hunt it down.”

“The swan led him to a lake by an old castle,” she continued, “And there, under the moonlight, the swan transformed into the princess he had been searching for. She told him the sorcerer had placed her under a curse, so that she could only become human again under the moon’s light. The only way to break the curse was for the prince to declare his love for her to the world.”

Alise made another sound of surprise, looking up at her. Odette could see recognition glinting in her eyes; she had heard at least some of this tale before. It had been the talk of the kingdom around the time of the marriage.

“So they agreed that the prince would make a vow his love at a grand ball, so all the kingdom would hear. But the sorcerer overheard their plans; he locked the swan princess in his dungeon and sent his servant in disguise to take her place at the ball. The princess escaped, and flew to the palace, but she was too late.”

Odette felt Alise’s grip tighten again. She continued. “The vow was made to the wrong person, so the curse tried to kill the princess. The prince rushed to help her. Just then the sorcerer attacked! But the prince was ready; he fired an arrow straight into the cruel sorcerer’s heart.

“Still, the princess was dying; desperately he professed his love to her. Together their love was stronger than the Forbidden Arts, and she was revived, the curse broken for good. They were married soon after, finally together, and from that day they lived happily ever after.”

It wasn’t the best retelling; Odette had skipped over a lot, not to mention the half-truth of ‘happily ever after’; but it got the point across. Looking down again, she saw a strange look of understanding had overtaken Alise’s face. She pointed questioningly at Odette.

“Yes,” she said softly, “I was the swan princess.” She took a deep breath. “I know what it’s like to lose a parent; it doesn’t ever stop hurting, but you learn to move on in time. And I had people to help me: Derek and his family and Speedy and Puffin and Jean-Bob. I don’t want to force to you feel better, or to replace your father in your heart, I just want to give you the same comfort they gave me.”

Alise opened her mouth as if to speak, but no sound came out. She shook her head in frustration, unable to communicate her feelings, and sniffled loudly.

“It’s alright, Alise,” Odette offered, “You don’t have to speak until you’re truly ready.” The briefest flash of panic crossed the girl’s face; she didn’t need to say anything for Odette to understand what worried her. “And if you’re never ready, that’s alright too. We’ll work around it, whatever happens.”

Suddenly she felt Alise’s arms wrap around her midsection, pulling her into a tight hug. It wasn’t the same as her desperate grip from before; it felt different, warmer, understanding and comfort and gratitude and love all rolled into one. She hugged back, leaning down to plant a gentle kiss on the girl’s forehead.

They stayed like that for a comfortable moment, before finally Alise loosened her grip and shifted back. Her mouth twitched up into what might just have been a smile, small and faint but definitely there; Odette blinked, realising this was the first time she had seen the girl smile since the fire.

“Are you going to be okay now?” she asked softly. Gingerly, Alise nodded. But when Odette went to stand up off the bed she felt the girl grab her sleeve; she looked back to see that tiny smile had faded, replaced with a pleading look.

“You want me to stay?” Alise looked down, squirming a little in embarrassment, and nodded again. Odette just smiled, sitting back down. “Then I will.” The girl scooted over, giving her enough space to pull her legs onto the queen-size bed.

As she did Alise shifted down, rolling over to face away from Odette. The princess picked up the crumpled sheets, pulling them over both and carefully smoothing them out. Finally she extended her arms, gently pulling Alise into a loose embrace. And as a comfortable silence settled, both drifted off to sleep.

Both still had a hard road ahead. In the morning no doubt Alise would still have her fears, and Odette her worries; Roger and Uberta would still be fighting, and Derek still wouldn’t really understand; but they would all still have each other. And that night Odette would sleep soundly, knowing her daughter was safe; and that night Alise would be spared her nightmares, held safe in her mother’s arms.


End file.
